Introduction to reaction mechanisms Flashcards
What is a covalent bond?
A shared pair of electrons between two atoms
How can covalent bonds be broken?
Homolytic fission or heterolytic fission
What is homolytic fission?
When each of the bonded atoms takes one of the shared pair of electrons from the bond
What does homolytic fission produce?
Two radicals
What are radicals?
An atom or groups of atoms with an unpaired electron
What is heterolytic fission?
When one of the bonded atoms takes both of the electrons from the bond
What does heterolytic fission produce?
Two oppositely charged ions - atom that takes both electrons becomes anion and atom that doesn’t take electrons becomes cation
What is a reaction mechanism?
How a reaction takes place
What are curly arrows used for?
To show the movement of electron pairs when bonds are being broken or made
What are the 3 types of reaction?
1) Addition
2) Substitution
3) Elimination
What is an addition reaction?
When two reactants join together to form one product
What is a substitution reaction?
When an atom or group of atoms is replaced by a different atom or group of atoms
What is an elimination reaction?
Removal of a small molecule from a larger one - one reactant molecule forms two products
